


Calling the World from Isolation

by pissjesus



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Family, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Humor, Team Bonding, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27752353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pissjesus/pseuds/pissjesus
Summary: The band plans a wine and painting night, among other goofy stuck-at-home activities.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

“Those are pretty good, 2D,” Noodle says, leaning closer to the canvas to get a better look at the details.

“I’m thinkin’ of goin’ back in on this one and fixin it up a bit now that we’re gonna be spendin’ a lot of time inside and all,” 2D says, pointing a twiggy finger at different parts of the portrait. 2D had taken up painting about a year and a half ago, but this is the first time the rest of the band has gotten more than a glimpse at his creations. Mostly dogs. There’s a few landscapes, one or two cityscapes from the view of Kong’s roof, a still life featuring one of Russell’s taxidermy squirrels, and some sunflowers in a beer bottle vase. But he likes painting dogs. The one he selects to showcase next is a rather handsome cocker spaniel with a robin’s egg blue background.

Murdoc holds his whiskey like a critic, but even he manages an approving nod with raised eyebrows and a “not bad” mouth scrunch. “Oi, they’re quite alright, aren’t they. You even got the little white dots in the eyes to make ‘em look shiny. Guess you’re a regular Rembrandt, Mister D.”

2D shifts his weight from one foot to another. “I still haven’t quite gotten the handle on makin’ the fur look right.”

“But you can tell you’ve gotten better,” Russell says, squinting from his spot on the couch. “The fur on that one looks improved from that one.”

“You fink so?”

“You could probably sell these,” Murdoc says.

“I s’pose so, but they’re just a hobby, is all. My therapist said it’d be good for me to have somefink creative to do that’s got nofin’ to do with money.”

“How’s that been working out for you?” Noodle asks. She holds up one of the smaller canvases with a cheeky French bulldog with a pearl necklace. “Aw, she’s so cute! I want one.”

“I fink it’s been good. It takes my mind off worryin’ about the albums and such. When I get into the zone, I can space out for hours, which i’nt unusual, but now when I snap out of it I got a snazzy finished painting. I fink it makes me productive.”

Noodle’s head snaps up, zapped by an idea. “It might be fun for all of us to have a wine and painting night one of these days,” Noodle suggests. “If you’re okay with sharing supplies, of course.”

“I fink I got some extra canvas boards,” 2D says. “You guys would be interested?”

“It’d be a nice break from recording,” Russell says.

“Does it have to be a  _ wine _ and painting night?” Murdoc says, sneering into his glass.

“I don’t suppose it  _ has _ to be,” Noodle says. “But somehow I feel like a vodka and painting night gets messy real quick.”

“I promise I’ll behave,” Murdoc says.

“How about Friday night?” Russell says.

They agree, promising 2D they won’t make a mess of his supplies, and for the first time in over a month, they look forward to a Friday night that doesn’t blur into the rest.

* * *

“How in God’s name could carrots win against eggplant?” Russell demands, thumping a finger against the piece of paper spread out on the coffee table. A frame of  _ Bride of Chucky _ remains frozen on the screen, paused hours ago and long forgotten. It all started with Murdoc’s claim that Chucky is probably the most powerful slasher villain, his small stature making him harder to catch while still retaining equal strength to an adult human. “ _ Are you schtewpid? _ ” 2D had retorted. “ _ He loses at the end of every movie until somefink else brings him back in the next one. How powerful could he be if he’s beat by a little kid? _ ” Noodle had drawn up a bracket list, then another, and they’d been debating for hours. Somehow, this led to their fifth and current bracket list, and things are heating up in the vegetable category. 

Admittedly, this isn’t Murdoc’s realm of expertise, but he likes to argue, and he likes to be right, or at least a contrarian. 

2D had backed out of this one, not being particularly fond of any vegetable despite being a vegetarian. 

Noodle and Russell have remained fairly neutral with the other brackets: Strongest slasher (Michael Myers), best knife (switchblade), best dishware (soup bowl with a handle), the best way to prepare potatoes (baked)-- but when it comes to vegetables, nothing is egalitarian.

“Carrots have more versatility as an ingredient! There’s a reason you can put carrots in almost anything, but eggplant is reserved for specific dishes,” Noodle says, shifting from her seated position on the floor to a squat as if getting into a more ideal pouncing position.

“That’s because carrots are so bland you can put them in anything! They’re just like celery but with a more confident texture!” Murdoc chimes in. 

“They are  _ not _ like celery, celery is weak and stupid! Carrots have more of a sweetness to them!”

“ _ Sweet? _ ” Murdoc and Russell squawk in unison.

“I’m not saying they  _ are _ sweet like that’s the main characteristic of their flavor, I’m saying they’re sweet- _ er _ . Haven’t you ever had a smoothie with carrot juice?”

“But that doesn’t mean that carrots on their own are better than eggplant,” Russell argues.

“Right, we’re judging them on their own merits,” Murdoc says.

“So you’d just take a bite out of a raw eggplant and say it’s better than a carrot?” Noodle says, scrunching her face.

2D nods silently, not in agreement to anything, but because he doesn’t want to let on that he’s been lost since “confident texture.” What the hell does that mean? He doesn’t recall ever seeing Murdoc eat a carrot or an eggplant, so he’s not sure where he’s pulling his expertise from.

“You know what, she’s right,” Russell says, putting his hands up humbly.

“You’re just gonna give in like that?” Murdoc says. 

“Murdoc, I’ve never even seen you eat a carrot  _ or _ an eggplant, you’ve just been bullshitting this whole bracket.” Noodle says.

“I bought spinach last week!” Murdoc says-- as if that has to do with carrots or eggplants.

2D scratches his head, mussing his already wild hair.  _ Confidant texture _ . No one else questioned him, so it must have made sense to them. Then again, he’s not sure how  _ he _ would describe the taste of a carrot. Once you have to make your case on why one vegetable is better than another, they’re more abstract than you’d think. He personally prefers carrots, but he has no idea how he’d defend his stance.

“Zucchini is out. Bell peppers versus zucchini? That’s just not a fair bracket,” Russell says.

Oh, shit, they’ve moved on? 2D blinks, rubs his temples, tries to bring himself back to Earth.

“Zucchini’s out no matter what it’s up against,” Noodle reasons.


	2. In the spirit of Paris is Burning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My roommate's been religiously watching Rupaul's Drag Race, which means I've been watching RuPaul's Drag Race. So take this while I try to finish "Just Like the Old Days, but Better!"

Being forced to stay home creates plenty of time to binge every show pirateable. Being forced to stay home with your bandmates also creates cabin fever. Like being trapped on a tour bus for months, but there’s no stopping to stretch your legs or find a pub to terrorize instead of each other. Noodle, after diving into every season of Rupaul’s Drag Race, suggests a way to blow off steam.

“Reading is just roasting. Making fun of each other in a way that’s fun and lighthearted,” she explains. “It’s a better way to air your grievances than blowing up over something stupid.”

“I could’ve been killed tripping over Murdoc’s boots in the hall,” Russell mutters.

“Somehow,” Murdoc says, “I feel like this is going to become an excuse to bully me.”

“Perhaps,” Noodle says. She holds up a pair of her heart-shaped sunglasses. “Who wants to go first?”

Murdoc plucks them from her hand and struts by her, then spins to face the rest of the group seated on the couch. “Since I’ve built my career on my sparkling wit, I should be the opener.” He puts the sunglasses on. “Let’s address the elephant in the room. Russel!”

“Watch it, little man.”

“I’m not going to be mean! In fact, I think you look rather sharp today.” He cocks his head dramatically. “Oh, that’s my reflection in your bald little head there. Nevermind that, then.”

Though it’s hard to tell, Russell almost audibly rolls his eyes.

“Moving along! Miss Noodle!”

“Mister Doctor Professor Niccals,” Noodle responds.

“Where would we be today,” he says. “If there had been a return address on that Fed-Ex crate?”

“Working street corners, probably,” Noodle says, prompting a proud guffaw from Murdoc.

As he collects himself again, Murdoc turns the barrel on his final victim. “2D, my lovely, lovely chum,” he continues, gesturing to 2D as if presenting a game show prize.

“Oi, you got new material or somefink?” 2D retorts, wearing his newfound smugness like a smart bow-tie.

With 2D’s unexpected challenge, Murdoc pauses to flip through his Rolodex of insults. A smile spreads across his green face. “If you had a tooth for every one of your illegitimate children, perhaps you’d have a full set.”

Even more unexpected than 2D’s smugness is the howl that erupts from him. Murdoc, satisfied, hands him the sunglasses, and 2D snatches them.

“Den’al artistry courtesy of Doctor Niccals,” he says, putting the sunglasses on and standing before the group.

“Don’t strain yourself!” Murdoc says.

“Oi, I don’t take heckling from anyone under six feet!” 2D says, to which Noodle and Russell laugh. 2D grins. “New-dol. Boy George called. He  _ doesn’t  _ want his clothes back.”

Now Murdoc laughs along with the others. 2D stands up straighter and tilts his stubbly chin. “Russell Hobbs. Good grief, what’s a big strong man like you ‘doin still taking the piss from Murdoc?” He jabs a finger in Murdoc’s direction. “‘Es been dead for twenty years!”

Russell slaps Murdoc’s back as he laughs, jolting Murdoc forward with the force of it. 

“Alright, so the lad actually learned something from me,” Murdoc says, slightly winded from the thump.

With the glasses passed to Noodle, she strikes a pose as she points to 2D.

“Twoooooo-Dee!” She says. 2D points to himself and smiles. “It’s not fair for people to assume you’re dumb. The air is just thinner aaaaaaaaall the way up there.” To illustrate her point, she stands on her tip-toes and stretches her arm up to where 2D’s head might reach.

2D scrunches his eyebrows for a moment while Murdoc laughs, then he joins in when the wires in his brain make a spark.

Noodle strikes a different pose at Murdoc. “Grandpa Murdy! Would you like the good news or the bad news first?”

“Surprise me,” Murdoc says.

“It’s not super-gonorrhea. But the good news is, they’re naming a disease after you!”

At this, Murdoc howls louder than both 2D and Russell, stamping his Cuban heels on the shag rug. 

Noodle does a spin and stops in the final pose in her repertoire, pointing to Russell. “Murdoc isn’t the only one who can raise hell. After all, you raised me!”

“That was weak!” Murdoc jeers.

“I can’t be too mean to him, he sets my bedtime.” Noodle says.

“You can do better than that,” Russell says. “Come on, I won’t be offended.”

“Alright! Hmm.” Noodle’s mouth twists in thought. “Russell. You need to be exorcised. And we should do something about the demons as well.”

Russell chuckles. “Alright, I’ll take it.”

“Ugh, I can’t think of anything good for you! You’re too put-together to find anything worthwhile to make fun of!” Noodle thrusts the sunglasses at him.

“No thanks, I’m alright,” Russell says.

“It’s not fair for us to make fun of you if you don’t do it back!” Murdoc says.

“This is your chance to let Murdoc have it,” 2D adds.

“Alright, fine.” Russell accepts the sunglasses, puts them on, and gets up. He takes his time looking down the line of characters on the couch. “Noodle,” he says. “I guess it’s fair for Murdoc to keep borrowing your clothes since you’re gonna borrow his jokes.”

Noodle and 2D squeal as Murdoc covers his face. Wasting no time, Russell singles out 2D.

“Dee, God put you on this Earth for a reason. Those Nigerian princes have to make money somehow.”

Murdoc and Noodle laugh as 2D scrunches his eyebrows once again. Before the joke can click for 2D, Russell turns his attention to Murdoc. He rubs his hands together in anticipation.

“I’m trying to get this over with, Muds, ‘cuz we don’t have enough time to list everything that’s wrong about you. It’d be easier to list everything that’s strong about you.” Russell takes a dramatic pause as his audience of three quiets down, listening eagerly. He lowers his sunglasses to look at Murdoc over the rims before delivering the final blow. “Your smell.”

Murdoc falls to the floor dramatically, clutching his chest as if he’d been shot as Noodle and 2D scream.

“Goblin down! Goblin down!” Noodle yells, shaking Murdoc’s shoulder.

“Call a tiny ambulance!” 2D shouts, dropping to his knees.

Russell takes off the sunglasses and tosses them at Murdoc’s body on the floor. “Pick up your shoes, you rejected Beatle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I'm not done with the last chapter of "Just Like the Old Days, But Better" so in the meantime, here's this  
> -You can tell this was written solely for my enjoyment but I at least hope it's funny

**Author's Note:**

> -No schedule, this one'll just update as I go/alongside dark/angsty chapters of my main fic  
> -This was written earlier in quarantine when it was less maddening and I didn't have a crisis every other night :)


End file.
